Signaling system



March 17, 1925.

EJM. T. RYDER SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 1922 2,Sheets-Sheet l SWITCHOPE/PATEL PARKING RIGHT ATTORNEYS Match 17, 1925. 1,529,849

5. M. "r. RYDER SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Sept, '7, 1922 2 Sheets-She 2 mNEUTRAL g INVENTOR.

BY I J Mf W -Z4,Arrows/la s citizen of the United Patented Mar. 17,1925.

my new. RYDE or vonxnns, NEW YORK.

SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed September To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EL-YM. T. RYDER, a States, residing at Yonkers, inthe county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems, of which'the followingis a specification.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a signal systemin which a plurality of visible signals are used which are solectivelyoperated in predetermined groups. Another object of my invention isthe'provision of a novel form of switch'member which controls the visiblesignals through one kind of movement, and which preferably controls asignal unit of another character through a different kind of movement.

My invention consists of certain novel parts and combinations of partsparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The following is a description of a signaling system embodying myinvention in the form at present preferred by me, but it will beunderstood that various modifications and changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of myiinvention and without exceedingthe scope of my claims.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear view of a vehicle showing twogroups of lamps operated inv accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the switch member and showing the circuitconnections; Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatically the groups of visiblesignals which are given in difierent positions of the switch member andfor parking; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the switch member;Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4;Fig. 6 shows the contacts of one-half of the stationary part of theswitch member developed, and Figs. 7 to 11 illustrate diagrammaticallydifferent arrangements for the various positions of the controller.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the variousviews.

eferring, now, to the drawings in which I have shown one embodiment ofmy invention,' I have indicated, generally, at 10 in Figs. land 2 and atthe rear of the vehicle,

1,1922. Serial No. mass.

a group of five visible signals which are here illustrated as lamps 10*,10, 10, 10 and 10, which are preferably arranged side by side, and whichare preferably of alternately different colors, thelamps 10, 10 and10preferably being red, while the lamps 10 and' 10 are preferably whichare here shown as connected in paral-' lel with the respective lamps ofthe rear group 10. so that the front lamps are operated in the samecombinations as are the rear lamps. The lamps are mounted on a vehiclewhich I have indicated, generally, at A. the body of which isindicatedat 12, the wheels at 13, the rear axle at 14 and the rear mudguards at 15. 5

.The switch member or circuit controller which I have indicated,generally, at B, is preferably mounted on the steering post 16 of thevehicle. The switch member, which I have here illustrated. comprises apart 17 which is stationary with respect to the steering post 16, and apart 18 which is rotatable with respect thereto and which is alsopreferably movable axially thereof. The stationary part of the switchmember preferably comprises a series of contacts indicated, generally,in Fig. 2 at 19, and preferably comprising three. spaced contacts 19,19" and 19, the ontacts 19 and 19 preferably being of sufficient lengthto extend through two successive positions of the rotary part of theswitch member, the intermediate conv switch member comprises a contact,arm, in-

dicated,.generally, at 22, which extends on opposite sides of the memberon whichit is mounted, one end 23 of the contact arm beingdprovided witha contact member 24 engages stationary contact members 19,;19 and 19when brought to a position ,oppositethe same. Theopposite end of thecontact arm 22, cooperates. with a plurality of series of contactmembers-which are indicated, generally, at 26, 27, 28 and 29 and whichare referably vertically spaced, as indicated in ig. 5. 26 preferablycomprises three short spaced contact mem ers 26, 26 and 26", located atthe back, ahead and stop positions of. the controller. The contact 27comprises a short contact 27' located at the. back position, and-acontact piece 27", extending over the right and stop positions. .Thecontact 28 preferably-comprises a long contact member 28, extending overthe back and left positions and a short contact member 28 located at thestop'position, The contact member 29 comprises a long contact member 29extending over the back and left positions, an intermediate contactmember 29 at the ahead position, and a contact member 29 at the stoppos'ition. The contact members 26 are connected by a conductor 30 to oneterminal of each of the middle red lamps 10 and 11 of the two groupsylOand 11, respectively, the opposite terminals of which'are connectedthrougha.

common conductor 31 to the ground 32. The contact members 27areconnected by a conductor 33 to one of the terminals of each of'thelamps ,10 and 11, which are also connected by the conductor31 to theground,

as at 32, it beingunderstood that one termied "by the foot brake andwhich has three nal of each of the lamps is grounded. The contactmembers 28 are connected by a conductor 34 to each ofjthe red lamps 10and 11". The contacts 29 are connected by the conductor 35 to the greenlamps 10" and 10 and to 11 and 11. The end 25 of the arm rovidedwithcontact members 37, 38, 40, which engage the stationary contacts 26, 27,28and 29, respectively, when brought opposite the same.- c ,1 p

The contacts 26,, 27 28- d 29 are preferably secured to a cylindricalinsulating member 41 which is mounted within a cylindrical .part 42-extending upwardly .from the steering post. The rotary-part of theswitch member preferably com prises-an inverted dished member 43 havmg adownwardly-extending, fiange- .43",

. -.m'en'1ber. 45, as by screws 47.

the top of the member preferablybein'g in i the form of a spider fromwhich abOSs or lug' 44 extends .down'wardly.. shell or cylinder 45issecured to'the flange 43, as indicated in: Fig. 5, and tothe-loweren'd. of the shell 45 is secured a ring 46 having ahorizontally-extending flange 46 which extends beneath the stationarypart 17 of the switch member, as indicate in Fig. 15, to re tain therotary part in position, the vertical flange being securedtothe clindrica e top 0 a the switch member is closed by a cover plate Thecontact member 48,.which may conveniently be secured to the shell .45,ashy screws 49, so that byre moving the cover plate 48 access may. behad to the operating parts of the switch through the spider formed atthe top of the member 43. gThe rotary switch arm 22, which is preferablyof the form best shown in Fig. 4, is provided with a cylindrical partsurrounding aninsulating sleeve 50 in turnsecured to the boss 44, and issecured to said sleeve, as-by screws 51. The rotary part of the switchmember is normally raised to the position. indicated in Fig. 5 by a leafspring '52, the ends of which engage the outwardlyextending flange atthe top'of the steering post 16, as best shown in Fig. 5. A stem orplunger 53 is secured in'the lower end of the boss 44 and enga es at itslower end a movable switch mem er 54 which is 'nor-.

mally held in the open position indicated in Fig. 5 bya spring 55. 'Bydepressing the movable part of the .switch member and thereby moving italong its longitudinal axis,.the switch arm 54 is brought intoengagement with a stationary contact 56 P closes a} circuit from a battery57 teen electrically operated device for actuating an audible. signal 58in awell understood manner. As is evident, the rotarypart of the switchmay be depressed at the will of the 9 I operator togive an audiblesignal with the rotary member in any of its various positions.

A switch 59 see Fig. 2 which is o eras poles, is preferably provided,one terminal of the switch being connected by a .conductor 60 to oneterminal of the battery20,

thethree arms of the switch member en-' gagingstationary contacts whichare connected by conductors 61, 62 and 63, respectively, to. the redlamps 10, 10? and 10*. A

manually operated switch 64 is also preferably provided, the movable armof which is connected by a conductor 65 ,to one, ter- 11o 'minal of thebattery 20, the stationary contact being connected by a conductor 66 toone of the red lamps 10 which serves as a parking signal. "It isvevident that both The shell or cylindrical member 45, con-x sisting of apart of the rotary switch mem-I ber,-:is preferably' provided with aplurality Y of outwardly-extending beads 67 forming.

on the inner side of theshell notches which are adaptedto beengaged'by adetent m bar 68 secured .tofithe. fixed part. of the" switch member 17and which is formed with .a detent" ortign' 68 adapted .to engage thenotches 6 to retainv the rotary part of the a switch member-in thevariousoperating po-- sitions. Sprin members 69, two being illustrated,are a so preferably secured to the fixed part 'of the switch member, thesprings being bent outwardly, as indicated in'Fig. 5, and engaging theshell 45 to retain the rotary part of the switch member concentrio withthe stationary part.

A; third group oflamps 70 are indicated in Fig. 1, which are mounted onthe front mud guard and furnish a tell-tale indication to the driver ofthe car, and which may and the middle red this third group of lamps inof the be-connected with'respect to the lamps 10 and 11 in the samemanner as are the lamps 11 with respect to the lamps 10. In order toavoid confusion, I have notillustrated Fig. 2. 'It will, of course, beunderstood that as many groups of indicating lamps may be used asdesired, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The 0 eration of the device illustrated will rea ily be understood fromthe foregoing description and is as follows:

When the rotar member occupies the neutral position in icated in Fig. 2,it will be evident that none of-the contacts of the rotary member are inengagement with the stationary contacts and no lamps are light ed. Bymoving the controller to the left to the position indicated Ahead, themov able contact member 24 will engage the stationary contact member 19and the movable contact members 37 and 40 will engage the stationarycontact members 26 and 29, respectively, thereby closin a circuit fromthe ground 21 through the attery 20, through the contact members 19 and24, and throughthe members 40 and29 to both green lamps 10 and 10, andalso through the contact members 37 and 26 and through the middle redlamp 109 to the ground, thus lightin the two green lamps amp, therebyindicating by the osition of the red lamp with respect to t e two greenlamps that the vehicle is intending to 'go straight ahead. Such a signalis particularly valuable as alfording an indication toa traflic ofiiceras to the direction that the=vehicle desires to proceed. By moving thecontroller to r the position Rlght, it will be evident that lparent t atthe ve both green lamps and the red lamp right are lighted by circuitswhich will readily be traced. y movin the switch member still further tothe ri t to the position fStop, the three red amps will be lighted. Whenthe controller is moved to the left of neutral position to the positionindicated Left, the two green lights and the red lamp at the left arelighted, and when it is moved still further to the left to. the ositionindicated Back, all five of the ams are l i hted. It will thus be alamps comprised within my invention are at. the

operated 1n predeterments 0 mined groups to afl'ord indications of themovement of the vehicle, and particularly afi'ord's an indication, bytheposition of a single lamp of one color with respect to two lamps ofanother color, of the direction in which the vehicle is going to move.The order of the able part of the controller can be variously arranged,as indicated in- Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.

When the movable switch controller is in the neutral position, it willbe evident that the operation of the foot brake will give a stop signaland that the hand switch ma be operated to give a parking signal.

claim:

1. A vehicle signaling system comprising at least five lamps arrangedsubstantially horizontally and in alinement and side by side and ofalternately difi'erent colors, there being three lamps of one color andtwo lamps. of a second color, the end lamps being of the same color, anda switch and associated connections for simultaneously operating the twolamps of the second color and either of said end lamps to afiord anindication by the position of thesecond lamp with respect to the othertwo of the movements of a vehicle.

2. A vehicle signaling system comprising horizontally and in alinementand side and of alternately different colors, there being three lamps ofone color and two lamps of a second color, the end lamps being of thesame color, and a switch and associated connections for simultaneouslyoperating the two lamps of the second color and either of said and lampsto afford an indication by the position of the second lamp with res ectto the other two of the movea vehicle and for simultaneously operatingonlyto afford an indication of a change of speed of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle signaling system comprising, at least five lamps arrangedsubstantially horizontally and in alinement and side by side and ofalternately different colors, there being three lamps of one,color andtwo lam s'of'a second color, the end lamps being 0 the same color, and aswitch and associated connections for simultaneously operating the twolamps of the second color and either of said end lamps and forsimultaneously' operatin the two lamps of the second color and t eintermediate lamp of the first color to afford an indication by the.position of one of the second lamps with respect to the other two of themovements of a vehicle.

4. 'A vehicle signaling system comprising at least five lamps arrangedsubstantially horizontally and in alinement and side by side and ofalternately difi'erent colors, there positions occupied by the mov- Ithe three lamps of the first color being/three lamps of one color andtwo lamtgs of a second color, t he end lam s being ofe same color, anda. switch an j assoclated connections for simultaneously operating thetwo lamps of the second 'color and either of said end lamps to afiord anindication by the position of thesecond lamp 'of said vehicle.

with re ect to the other. two of the movements'o a vehicle, and forsimultaneously operating all of the lamps to afiord an indl- 10 cationof a difierent character of movement I ELY M. T. RYDER.

